(Cont’d. )
When David finished, he sealed the letter and summoned Uriah.
When he came, David said to him, “I learnt you still did not go to your house to sleep.”
“No, my lord.”
David smiled a little. “But I can’t understand it. Don’t you miss your wife?”
“I do but she will be there. She will wait until I return with the other men. I cannot do such a thing at this time.”
David nodded in agreement. “Good, good. You’re truly a soldier.” Then he held the letter out to him. “I want you to give this to Joab.”
“Yes, my lord.” Uriah said, taking it from him.
David talked with him some more, and then Uriah left.
Not knowing whether to be happy or sad at what he had just done, David sighed.
He wouldn’t have done it if Uriah had cooperated with him. He caused it. And a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do – he told himself.
**********
Some days after, one of the soldiers came to David and told him that Joab sent him.
Joab?
David was expectant and sat up. “Yes? What is his message? How did the battle go?”
“The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove them back to the entrance of the city gate. Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king’s men died.”
How could Joab have done that? David thought. But what about the assignment he gave him? That was more important to him at this time.
The man quickly added, “Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.”
Uriah is dead? David heaved a sigh of relief. At least, that has been achieved, no one will know about it.
David calmed down. Then he said, “Say this to Joab: ‘Don’t let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.’ Say this to encourage Joab.”
After the messenger had left, David began to think. What next? The news of Uriah’s death would have to be broken to Bathsheba. She would mourn her husband for some time according to the custom. And then he would send for her to become his wife.
Another thought occurred to him – would Bathsheba suspect he had something to do with Uriah’s death?
He didn’t think so. Afterall, Uriah died in battle. It was even better that way; no one would connect his death to him.
When he called the head of the housekeepers and asked the man to prepare a chamber for one more wife, all his servants began to wonder who the new wife was, but Jachin, Ethan and Ziv guessed it would be Bathsheba.
**********
When Bathsheba learnt that her husband had been killed in battle, she was shocked. Uriah is dead? Why so soon, after leaving here? Was it coincidental or planned by someone – King David perhaps?
She didn’t know what to believe, but what she knew was that he did not deserve to die. Weeping, she tore her cloth according to the custom and sat on the floor. She had not expected to become a widow at such a young age. She thought back to how she met him, the wedding day and the times they spent together, and their plans. What would become of them? And what about the baby growing in her womb?
Relatives and friends came in to mourn with her. Uriah’s body was prepared for burial and eventually taken to a tomb.
When the days of mourning the death of Uriah were over, Bathsheba put her widow’s attire away and dressed normally.
**********
Shortly after, David asked two of his servants to bring Bathsheba to the palace.
“I will take care of her. Her husband was a loyal and valiant soldier. This is the least I could do for him.” He explained.
When Jachin, Ethan and Ziv heard about it, they were angry but not surprised, as they told the other servants.
“This is not fair!” Jachin said and shook his head sadly.
Ziv shrugged. “Such is life, it is not fair.”
“I wouldn’t do such a thing, yet he would consider someone like me as not knowing God.” One of the servants said.
“I think he obeys God only when he wants to, when it’s convenient for him. He is not sincere.” Ethan added.
Jachin said, “But … he loves God. Or maybe I should say that I think he loves God. There are things he does that show he does. Take for example, the case of Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, grandson of King Saul. We all knew how King Saul tried severally to kill King David. And when King David had the opportunity to kill him, he did not. After he became king, he just rose up one day and asked, ‘Who among the family of Saul is alive?’ Someone told him that Ziba was Saul’s servant, and he sent for him. When Ziba told him that Jonathan had a son, Mephibosheth, he immediately asked him to be brought from Lodebar.
“From Lodebar?” One of the servants asked. “How did he become lame in his feet?”
“I learnt it was at the time his father died. He was about five years old. Sensing that some people might want to kill him, his nurse carried him and began to run away. On the way, he fell and became lame. Anyway, the king restored all the land and properties that belonged to the house of Saul to him, instructed Ziba and his sons to be working for him, and told him he should be eating continually at his table, with his son, Micha.” Jachin said.
“What did it cost him to do what he did for Mephibosheth?” Another servant asked. “Nothing! That was easy to do -”
“Yes, easy to do but how many people would do that?” Jachin said. “I’ve also heard someone call him a man after God’s heart.”
“What I feel right now is fear.” Ethan told them. “Who is a man after God’s heart?”
“Well, as we have been told, it’s none of our business.” Ziv said.
Jachin told the other servants, “Please, don’t discuss what we’ve told you with anyone.”
(To be continued)
You will need to read our novels and other books, they will do you a world of good.
Feel free to comment and share this post with your loved ones.
And don’t forget to subscribe to our blog posts, you will find the subscription link as you scroll down. It is free. Simply enter your e-mail address in the space provided and you will begin to receive notifications by e-mail whenever a new article is published.
Leave a Reply